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J. S. NELSON. B0B sLEn No. 372,863. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

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No.'372,863. Patented Nov. 8, 1887. i274- 4 g4/wanton M070,

@MM Hm UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

JOHN S. NELSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN F. PIOHA, OF SAME PLACE.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,863, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed July 11, 1887.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-`

Be it known that I, JOHN S. NELsoN, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bob-Sleds, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to what are known as bob-sleds; and it consists in a novel construction of the same, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved bob-sled; Fig. 2, an enlarged perspective View of the knee; Figs. 3 a-nd 4, respectively, side and sectional views of the same, and Figsf to l0, inclusive, views illustrating various details of construction hereinafter referred to.

The object of this invention is to so construct a sled that it will readily yield to the inequalities of the surface of the ground over which it travels,and atthe same time to make it strong enough to withstand the strains to which it is subjected.

Referring again to the drawings, A A indicate the runners, B the shoes, and G the knees, thelatter being of that class which permit the runner and the cross-beam or sill to oscillate or rock one in relation to the other.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the construction of the knee will be fully explained.

Secured to the upper face of each runner is an upright plate, D, which is provided with a semicircular or curved bearing face, a, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3. That portion of the plate D4 adjacent to or upon which the bearing-surface a is formed is of T form in cross-section, this construction forming laterally-projecting flanges b b, which are curved to correspond with the upper bearing-face, a. Projecting from opposite sides of the plate D are two studs or lugs, c, .having curved or rounded upper faces, which are concentric with the curved bearing-.face a, and in the plate D, between thelugs aand the liange b,is a curved slot, d, which is also concentric with the bearing-surface of the lugs c.

E indicates the standard,which will be made in two parts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This standard is provided on its upper face with a serian No'. 243,903. (No model.)

broad seat or bearing for thecrossvbeam or sill F, and also with a forwardly-projecting arm or support for the hounds or braces G, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the hounds or braces and the cross-beam or sill being rigidly bolted or otherwise secured to the standard. The inner face vof each half of the standard is grooved to receive the laterally-projecting flanges bof plate D, and is also made to rest upon the curved bearingface a, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The standard is provided with sockets or bearings e at its lower end to fit and rest upon the lugs c, formed upon the plate D, and it is upon these lugs that the knee swings, rocks, or oscillates as a center.

H indicates a bolt which passes transversely through the two halves of the standard and also through the slot d ofthe plate D,as shown in Fig.j4, the bolt serving to hold the two parts of the standard together and to compensate for any wear of the parts.

In order the more rmly to secure plate D to the runner, it will be provided with a depending lug, f,(shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) which will loe mortised into the upper face 0f the run ner A.

From the foregoing construction it will be seen that the knee,while permitting all necessary play, is strong and easily repaired in case of breakage, it being only necessary to remove either half of the standard in order to disconnect the two parts.

The forward end of each runner is provided with a socket-piece or cap, I,of the form shown in Figs. l, 5, and 6. This cap is provided with an upright flange, g,which fits upon the outer face of the runner,and with a similar flange, h, which covers the forward or front face and extends up over the end on the upper rear side of the runner. The cap is further provided with a curved slot, i, and is countersunk on its outer face at the closed end of the slot, as shown at j in Fig. 6.

J indicates the tongue, to the inner end of which is secured a cross bar or beam, K, carrying at its ends socket-pieces L of the form shown in Fig. 7. These socket-pieces L are provided with a cylindrical stem or neck, le, and with a head or enlargement, Z, the latter adapted to rest in the socket or countersink j,

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formed in the outer face of the cap I, as shown in Fig. l. The neck lc is of the same diameter, approximately, as the width of the curved slot i, so that when the socket-piece is inserted into the plate I, secured to the runner, it is prevented from being pulled outward laterally therefrom. The socketpiece L is further provided with three or more inwardly-extending arms, m, which are adapted to clasp and be secured to the ends of the beam K. The hounds or braces G are connected at their forward ends by means of a socket-piece, M, of the form shown in Figs. Sand 9. This socketpiece is provided with a cylindrical or rounded neck, n, which latter is in turn provided at its outer end with a cylindrical head or enlargement, o. Instead of making this head or enlargement solid, as has heretofore been customary, I corrugate it, so as to form aseries of pockets or recesses, into which may be placed lubricating material. This head has the appearance of three circular disks or planes arranged at right angles to and intersecting each other.

The V-shaped socketpiece IWI is connect-ed at its forward end with a bifurcated socketpiece, N, secured to the roller or beam K, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and in detail in Fig. 10. The two arms p p of this socket-piece N are separated adistance apart equal to the thickness of the neck a of the socketpiece M,

` and at a point directly behind the center of the tongue the inner faces of the arms p p are rounded or provided with depressions to receive a head or enlargement, o, ofthe V-shaped socket-piece M. This construction permits the tongue J to be raised or lowered, and also permits it to turn in a horizontal plane as the runners rise and fall.

The connections L I and M N form, in effect, universal joints, and while permitting freedom of motion in any desired direction their construction is such as to prevent the separation of the parts.

The knee and cap plates Iand socket-pieces L, M, and N will all preferably be made of cast-iron, so that should any part become accidentally broken it may be readily replaced at comparatively slight cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a bob-sled, the combination of the runners, the tongue, and the roller or beam rigidly secured to said tongue and connected at opposite ends to the runners by means of universal joints, the cross-beam or sill, oscillating knees connecting said cross beam with the runners, and hounds or braces secured rigidly at their rear ends to the cross-beam or sill and connected at their forward ends by means of universaljoint with the roller, all substantially as shown.

2. In combination with runner A, plate D, secured thereto, provided with bearing-face a, lateral iianges b b, and studs c c, and having a curved slot, d, standard E, grooved to receive the anges b and provided with sockets to fit upon the studs c c, and a bolt, H, passing through the standard and slot, substantially as shown.

3. In a sled, the combination, with runners A, tongue J, roller K, sill F, and hounds G, of the knees E E, provided with flanged seats for the sill and hounds.

4. In a sled, the combination, with the runners A A, provided with the cap-plates I, havinga curved slot, i, of the tongue J, the roller K, having caps L, each provided with reduced neck k and head Z, all substantially as shown.

5. In combination with the roller or crossbeam K of a sled and the runners provided with slotted plates I, the caps L, comprising arms m, neck k, and head Z.

6. In a sled, the cap M, for connecting the forward ends of the hounds, comprising the sockets for the latter, the reduced neck n, and the corrugated head 0.

7. -In aslcd,thecombination, with thehounds provided with cap M, of tongue J and roller K, provided with socket-piece N, the latter comprising the armsp p separated from each other and made concave or with depressions on their inner faces.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. NELSON.

IVitnesses:

WM. B. COLLIER, WM. KILGORE. 

